


Strange Bedfellows

by crescent_gaia



Series: Strange Bedfellows [1]
Category: The Blacklist (TV)
Genre: M/M, My First Work in This Fandom, spoilers and speculation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-03
Updated: 2013-12-03
Packaged: 2018-01-03 08:26:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1068252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crescent_gaia/pseuds/crescent_gaia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after Anslo Garrick - Part 2, Red and Ressler meet to talk.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strange Bedfellows

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own _The Blacklist_ or the characters. You really need to have seen Anslo Garrick - Part 2 in order to not be bothered by spoilers and Red herrings.

Donald Ressler sat in the café, nursing the cup of coffee as he waited for his second visit of the day. He had already visited with his ex-fiancé and now he wondered just how long he was going to wait. He was about to wheel himself out when he saw the person he was waiting for come in the door. He gave a nod to the man before going to a back table that opened up for them by Dembe. Dembe gave Red a hug before Red sat down across from Red. “Lot of people looking for you.”

“None more than you, Donald.” Red smiled and took the cup of espresso from Dembe. “Thank you.”

“I just know the channels to go through.” Ressler sat back in his wheelchair. “That and you suddenly take my calls personally now.”

“Well, you nearly died for me and you saved Lizzy, so think of it more that I owe you a favor.”

“Did you tell her the truth?” Ressler looked at him as there was no answer. “Or did you tell her what she wanted to hear?”

“The latter. She doesn’t need the truth right now. She needs to keep an eye on Tom. Has she done anything yet?”

“Nothing but talk about it,” Ressler said. “Turns out that lying in a hospital bed is the best time to get secrets. She’s not sure about him but doesn’t have enough courage to put him to the curb.”

“Hrm.” Red looked down thoughtfully into his cup. “I wonder what she would say if she knew his involvement.”

“She might, soon enough,” Ressler said. “Why did you make me the mole?”

“Because nobody would ever think to look at you. You let the side that hates me show and everyone believes you. Therefore, you were the best one to put the plan into action. The collar is off of me and I am free to go where I want and when I want.”

“Unless she calls,” Ressler said. “You don’t think, when she’s really desperate in a couple of months and they’re talking about reassigning her somewhere dark, that she won’t just call you?”

“I’m waiting for it. But that is enough about me – how are you healing?”

“Fine enough,” Ressler said. “So you’re going to throw away everything just for her?”

“What wouldn’t you do for your child?” Red finished his espresso, putting down the cup and standing up. “I’ll be in touch. You know how to find me.”

“True, I do,” Ressler said.

Red gave Donald a look over. “Donald, why don’t you call me in?”

“What good would it do me?” Ressler asked. 

Red touched Donald’s shoulder. “You could come with – make it look like a kidnapping and you’re gone.”

“Don’t tempt me,” Ressler said quietly.

Red smiled. “Until the next time.” He walked out with Dembe to the car and nodded to him. “Put it in motion.” He got into the car, leaning back in the seat. He was to his plane in fifteen minutes and up in the air five minutes later to Peru. After he landed, he took a long nap before waking up to hearing loud voices in the next room. He sighed, grabbing his robe, and getting up, going to the voices. He held up his hand, seeing Donald tied to the wheelchair and a bag over his head. “Remove it.”

Ressler took a deep breath as the bag was removed and then sighed. “Jesus.”

“No, not yet,” Red said. “Leave us.” The people who brought Donald in quickly left the room. He raised an eyebrow at the bruise on Tom’s cheek but let it go. They did have to make it look realistic. “Welcome to Peru.”

“You shouldn’t have.”

“I wanted to.” Red moved and untied Ressler before wheeling him into the bedroom. “We missed breakfast, but they’ll cook whatever meal we want at any time of day. What do you feel like?”

“Surprise me. You do with everything else,” Ressler said as he wheeled himself over to the window to look at the view.

Red chuckled, picking up the phone and ordering in Spanish before moving over to Donald. He kissed the top of Donald’s head and sighed. “Too bad you aren’t up to anything else.”

“I don’t think you are either, from what I’ve been told.”

“Maybe not,” Red said and sighed as his phone rang. “Someone misses you.”

“Not surprised.”

“Lizzy,” Red said as he answered the phone. “Of course I do. No, I’m not telling you. Yes, he’s in safe hands and I’ll send him back as soon as I’m able to.” He hung up the phone and shook his head.

“Are you trying to get me fired?”

“No,” Red said. “She won’t think to say anything or if she does, they’ll think you’re here against your will. It’ll just get added to my list of things I’ve done wrong. However, this does mean you’re going to have to steal a phone and make a phone call.”

“That can wait until after breakfast. And pills.”

“There’s a wonderful masseuse here that should try to help you. You only get sloppy when medicated,” Red said.

“Always thinking of sex.”

“Considering your body, you shouldn’t be surprised at that,” Red said. 

“Flattery will get you everywhere,” Ressler said. “It’s why I’m in this mess in the first place.”

“It is a big mess, isn’t it? But it’ll be over soon. I’ll be able to come back, take a breath, and we can get back to where we were. Well, not exactly where we were, but more than enough to go on.”

Ressler nodded. “Your escape – it was just to kill Anslo, wasn’t it?”

“Of course it was. And to show them that I’m not afraid. Tom will have to be dealt with when I come back and Lizzy will need help, but I think we can do that. Maybe she’d start asking questions.”

“Or maybe it’ll make her unable to work,” Ressler said. “Don’t push her too hard.”

“Hrm,” was Red’s reply. The two of them watched the scenery until the food came and Ressler took his medicine. After letting him sleep and a massage later, Ressler “stole” a phone and called Lizzy’s cell phone. 

“Hello?” Lizzy asked.

“It’s me,” Ressler said.

“Where are you?” Lizzy asked. “Why did he grab you?”

“Not sure,” Ressler said. “He won’t talk or explain anything. I think he feels guilty.” He took a pause. “Look, I don’t know when I’ll be back. I’m thinking I might just be left here or I might be dragged along. If I am, I’ll try to – “

“Enough of that,” Red said and took the phone. “Lizzy, do tell Cooper that I take his knight.” He ended the call and then destroyed the phone before giving him a bottle of water. “Better?”

“I think so,” Ressler said. He opened the water and took a long drink.

“They won’t be able to trace it. And I’m insulted that you would think so, Donald.”

“My apologies,” Ressler said and took a breath. “Don’t leave me behind unless you think I’m going to slow you down enough to get you killed.”

There was no answer, just a kiss to his cheek, before Red left the room to talk to some of his contacts. Ressler just got himself comfortable, falling asleep again, and realizing that he was being put to bed. When he woke up, he was on Red’s plane and feeling disoriented, save for the warm body next to him.

“You’ll never get me killed,” Red whispered into his ear. “Go back to sleep, Donald.” He smiled as he felt Donald settle back down and listened to his breathing as Donald went back to sleep. Maybe it was a bad idea to take along a man who was healing a major injury, but he couldn’t just leave Ressler in Peru. Or anywhere else until he was back in the States and then he would try to let Ressler go for the fifth or sixth time. It wouldn’t work, but they would try, and the anger would rise to the top once again.


End file.
